Ascend to focus on driving e-mobility, sustainability and growth at K 2022
Ascend Performance Materials previewed some corporate updates and highlights in advance of K 2022 at a recent press conference in Rotterdam. Under the theme of “Advancing Together”, Ascend outlined the ways it is helping customers solve some of the most pressing technical challenges globally.
Among the highlights:
Advancing sustainability. Together.
Ascend is committed to executing its sustainability strategy built around the pillars of empowering people, innovating solutions and operating without compromise. The company has made a public commitment across a broad range of sustainability goals, including the reduction of its greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2030.
Toward that goal, the company continues to invest significant capital across its manufacturing locations to utilize a greater percentage of renewable energy and the reduction of emissions. It recently installed cogeneration units at its plant in Decatur, Ala which reduced the overall environmental footprint by 80%. The company’s advances in the area of cogeneration contributed to its second consecutive win of the American Chemistry Council’s Responsible Care Initiative of the Year.
Ascend also announced it will begin using bio-based feedstock and outlined its plans to achieve ISCC+ certification for its production throughout the nylon chain. By 2023, the company will offer bio-based acrylonitrile, hexamethylene diamine and polyamides.
“We have a dedicated and growing team working throughout Ascend, helping us advance sustainability across every facet of our company,” said Chris Johnson, Ascend’s director of sustainability. “Our commitment to sustainability extends far beyond our fence line. We’ve implemented a Design with Sustainability in Mind process for our products to ensure they have sustainability benefits.”
Mr. Johnson touted Acteev as an example of a product with sustainable benefits because of its long-lasting and durable odor-fighting properties.
SK Capital, Ascend’s parent company, recently appointed Anne Kolton, former executive vice president for sustainability at the American Chemistry Council, as chief sustainability officer to oversee sustainability initiatives at each of their companies.
Advancing engineered materials. Together.
As a fully integrated producer of durable materials, Ascend has a unique ability to tailor polyamide polymer chemistry and global compounding expertise. These traits combined with deep application engineering and end-market knowledge, allow the company to serve a wide variety of customers, including those focused on e-mobility, electrification, connectivity, renewable energy and packaging through its expanded portfolio. Among the highlighted products were:
- Vydyne Thermaplus: A new technology platform of high-temperature, high-ductile PA66 for fasteners; designed as a smarter replacement for PA46.
- Starflam flame-retardant polyamides: A full portfolio of UL yellow card-certified FR materials designed to meet a variety of performance requirements.
- HiDura: A growing portfolio of long-chain polyamides for consumer goods and connectors, as well as copolymers for films that make packaging more durable.
Dr. Steve Manning, senior director for engineered materials, also expanded upon the company’s string of recent acquisitions.
“Since 2018, we have added six manufacturing facilities globally,” said Dr. Manning. “Each one not only brought us closer to our customers, but also brought us unique capabilities; from the flame-retardant materials from Eurostar Engineering Plastics to masterbatches and recycling from Poliblend and EssetiPlast.”
The company has also established technical centers in Detroit, Suzhou and Fosses, and announced plans for a hexamethylene diamine plant in Lianyungang, China, increasing production of a key precursor for PA66.
Advancing e-mobility. Together.
Ascend’s e-range is a combination of the company’s manufacturing capabilities, product portfolio and application development expertise. Ascend’s dedicated e-mobility team, which was founded in 2018, has been providing the e-mobility market with high-performance solutions focused on safe power infrastructure, a secure and comfortable ride, and reliable thermal management.
With a portfolio of high-temperature, hydrolysis-resistant and flame-retardant materials, Ascend has worked with leading manufacturers on critical applications to improve the performance and safety of electric vehicles.
Ascend’s team of e-mobility application development engineers and polymer scientists created a novel solution to dampen noise, vibration and harshness in electric vehicles. EV motors produce vibrations at 10 times the frequency of internal combustion engines, making standard automotive under-the-hood dampening materials less effective.
Vydyne AVS is a new engineered material effective at dampening high-frequency vibrations at the motor, which translates into an 80% reduction in cabin sound pressure.
“Ultimately, the success of EVs relies on overcoming the barriers of adoption,” said Ian van Duijvenboode, senior director for e-mobility at Ascend. “We are focused on improving the passenger experience while simultaneously creating solutions that reduce complexity and weight.”
Ascend will exhibit at K 2022 in Düsseldorf, Germany from Oct. 19-26 at stand 6A07.
